|
Language
Arts Lesson 2 |
||
|
Instruction 2-1 Structure and Format of Functional Documents | Prepare Bibliography Reference Materials | Features and Rhetorical Devices of Public Documents |
||
|
||
| STRUCTURE AND FORMAT OF FUNCTIONAL DOCUMENTS If you need information about something, you usually have to "do research" to get it. That means you have to look up the information in a book or newspaper or magazine. You can do this more easily if you understand the way informational materials are structured.
Paragraph 1 Introductory Paragraph What follows is a brief explanation of the elements mentioned above. At the end of this explanation, we have shown a number of links which will take you step-by-step through the process of writing a five-paragraph essay. Introductory Paragraph
Body Paragraphs (Paragraphs 2, 3 and 4) The body paragraphs support the thesis you put forward in the introductory paragraph. Paragraph 2 should contain the strongest argument for or example of your thesis. The first sentence of this paragraph should tie back to the transitional "hook" at the end of the introductory paragraph. The first or second sentence should be your topic sentence, which tells your reader what the paragraph is about. The last sentence should include a transitional "hook" into the next body paragraph. Paragraph 3 should contain your next strongest argument or your next most significant example. The first sentence should tie back to the transitional hook at the end of the Paragraph 2 . The topic for this paragraph should be stated in the first or second sentence and the last sentence should include a transitional hook into the next body paragraph. Paragraph 4 should contain your weakest argument or example. The first sentence should tie back to the transitional hook at the end of the previous paragraph. The topic for this paragraph should be stated in the first or second sentence. The paragraph should end with a transitional hook that tells the reader that this is the final point being made and leads him or her into the concluding paragraph. Concluding Paragraph The concluding paragraph is also very important. It should include a rewording of your thesis statement, which means restating the same premise in different words. It should also summarize the most important support points from your body paragraphs. It should end with a final statement - the clincher - which tells your reader that the essay is over and drives home the points you were trying to make throughout the essay. As we said, newspaper and magazine articles are structured in much the same way. The opening paragraph of the article contains the most important information, while succeeding paragraphs get less important (although they can still be interesting). So when you go to look something up, you often have to read just the first paragraph -- or the last one -- to get the information you need. In the news business, there's a slogan: "Tell 'em what you're gonna to tell them, tell 'em, and then tell 'em what you told 'em." That's a good rule to follow for writing essays, too. For step-by-step help in writing a five-paragraph essay, click: http://www.gc.maricopa.edu/English/essay (Follow the Links) http://www2.actden.com/writ_den/tips/essay/intro.htm Now let's do Practice Exercise 2-1 (top)
|
Too, you will often be asked to write things yourself, like essays. In
fact, many tests -- including the SAT's -- have begun to include more essay
questions. What these tests often ask for is a five-paragraph essay. So it's
important to learn how to write one correctly. Learning how to organize your
material for a five-paragraph essay will also help you when it comes to
looking up information. Most newspaper and magazine articles are longer than
five paragraphs, of course. But they organize their material in much the
same way. Here is the basic structure (format) of the five-paragraph essay:
This paragraph is the most important and should begin with a motivator
--
a statement or thought so compelling it motivates your reader to read
on. This next sentence should be your thesis statement, which is
really a mini-outline for your essay and tells your reader what the essay
is all about. The final sentence of this paragraph should contain a
transitional "hook" which moves your reader into the second paragraph.